To evaluate patient willingness to use STAR (Symptom Tracking and Reporting for Patients), an Internet-based system for cancer patients to self-report common toxicity symptoms, performance status, and quality of life. [ Time Frame: conclusion of study ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

To evaluate the impact of STAR on clinical outcomes [ Time Frame: 2 years ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

To measure patient assessments of the usefulness of STAR, and to measure clinician perceptions of the potential value of STAR in routine outpatient cancer care. [ Time Frame: conclusion of study ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Original Secondary Outcome Measures ICMJE

Same as current

Current Other Outcome Measures ICMJE

Not Provided

Original Other Outcome Measures ICMJE

Not Provided

Descriptive Information

Brief Title ICMJE

Internet-based System for Cancer Patients to Self-report Toxicity

Official Title ICMJE

Pilot Study of STAR, an Internet-based System for Cancer Patients to Self-report Toxicity Symptoms, Performance Status, and Quality of Life

Brief Summary

Cancer patients may develop side effects during treatment, such as nausea, pain, fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, or shortness of breath. These symptoms may be due to the cancer itself, or due to treatments like chemotherapy drugs or radiation therapy. Doctors and nurses often ask patients about their symptoms, because an important part of cancer treatment is to make patients feel as well as possible. If patients do not feel well, the investigators may need to change the way the investigators are treating you or prescribe therapies that will decrease your symptoms. The best way to find out how you are feeling is to ask you directly.

However, during your time between appointments the investigators may not be able to ask you how you are feeling on a regular basis. In addition, even at an appointment, there may be symptoms that the investigators do not have a chance to discuss.

The investigators are interested in developing new ways to ask patients about how they are feeling, using the Internet. A special new website called STAR ("Symptom Tracking and Reporting for Patients") has been developed to help patients record this information, so that their doctors and nurses can review it during clinic appointments. This study is designed to help us see if STAR is a helpful way for us to keep track of information about patients' symptoms and quality of life.

Detailed Description

This pilot study will assess patient use of STAR (Symptom Tracking and Reporting for Patients), an online system designed for cancer patients to self-record toxicity-related symptoms based on NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v3.0, performance status by ECOG criteria, global quality of life by the EuroQOL 5-D assessment tool, emergency room visits, and survival. Secondary outcomes will include patient assessment of the usefulness of STAR, clinician perceptions of the potential value of STAR in routine clinical practice, and an evaluation of whether STAR improves the patient experience of care as assessed by satisfaction measures.

The investigators will ask you to fill out a brief paper questionnaire periodically to tell us how you are feeling, and how satisfied you are with your care.

Behavioral: STAR website

You can report your symptoms every time you come to Sloan-Kettering for an appointment or chemotherapy.

Study Arm (s)

Experimental: A

If you are in group A, the investigators will ask you to fill out a brief paper questionnaire periodically to tell us how you are feeling, and how satisfied you are with your care.

Intervention: Behavioral: Questioners

Experimental: B

If you are in group B, the investigators will provide you with access to the STAR website using a computer in the waiting area, into which you can report your symptoms every time you come to Sloan-Kettering for an appointment or chemotherapy. The investigators may also provide you with a website address so that you can access STAR from home (or any other location) to report your symptoms at any time.

Intervention: Behavioral: STAR website

Publications *

Not Provided

* Includes publications given by the data provider as well as publications
identified by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number) in Medline.

Receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy not on a clinical trial (or a new hormonal therapy in the case of prostate cancer patients only), with treatment expected to continue for at least four weeks from the time of enrollment

Signed informed consent and Research Authorization

Exclusion Criteria:

ECOG performance status greater than 2

Unable to read and comprehend English language text

Gender

Both

Ages

18 Years and older

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Contacts ICMJE

Contact information is only displayed when the study is recruiting subjects